DANBURY, CONN. — Western Connecticut State University Assistant Professor of Justice and Law Administration Terrence Dwyer was at the right place at the right time — and his quick response may have saved the life of a WCSU student.

On Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2012, Dwyer was in the cafeteria on the university’s Westside campus, 43 Lake Ave. Extension in Danbury, when he and Assistant Professor of Accounting Thomas Monks were approached by a student in respiratory distress. The student motioned that he was choking on food and Dwyer sprang into action.

Dwyer, a retired New York State Trooper, used the Heimlich maneuver to dislodge the food from the student’s throat and “the student immediately began to breathe normally,” Monks said.

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Western Connecticut State University offers outstanding faculty in a range of quality academic programs. Our diverse university community provides students an enriching and supportive environment that takes advantage of the unique cultural offerings of Western Connecticut and New York. Our vision: To be an affordable public university with the characteristics of New England’s best small private universities.